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Source verified August 10, 2026
OAC — Dance Projects
Supports Ontario dance creation and presentation
Funding available
$ 20,000
Deadline
September 24, 2026
Location
Ontario, Canada
Overview
Dance Projects supports professional dance artists, Ontario-based groups and organizations in Ontario through five categories for live and virtual dance. It funds creation, production and presentation, series and festivals, mentorship, and training and community development, including choreography, new work development, public performances, workshops, and accessibility-related costs.
/100
Opportunity Score
Moderate potential, but conditions must align.
At a glance
Funding available
Financing goals
- Increase social or community impact
- Reach a new target audience
- Raise awareness or mobilize a population
Eligible Funding
- Maximum amount : 20,000 $
Funds Providers
Eligible candidates
Eligible Industries
- All industries
Location
- Ontario
Legal structures
- Non-profit
Annual revenue
- All revenue ranges
Organisation size
- All organization sizes
Audience
- Indigenous Peoples
- Persons with Disabilities
Non-profit candidates
Sector of operation
- Culture and Arts
Target groups
- Artists / creatives
Revenue structures
- 100% donations / grants
Scope
- Provincial
Next Steps
1
Determine your project
2
Validate your eligibility
Availability timeline
2026
Periods: 2
Activities funded
- Creation to support artistic costs of choreography and development of new work
- Production and presentation to support artistic, production and presentation costs of live or virtual dance for a public, including co-productions, commissions, remounting, and tour preparation (including rehearsal costs)
- Series and festivals to support presentation costs of series and festivals that promote professional choreographers and dance companies
- Mentorship – Individuals for Indigenous artists training in Indigenous dance practices, including powwow and customary dance, and for Deaf artists and artists with disabilities
- Training and community development – Ad hoc groups, collectives and organizations, including but not limited to forums, workshops and master classes, equity and access initiatives, and other activities that benefit the professional dance community
Documents Needed
- applicant’s résumé/bio
- bios of any artist who is confirmed at the deadline date
Official resources
Eligibility
Who is eligible?
- professional dance artists who are Ontario residents
- Ontario-based ad hoc groups and collectives of dance artists or arts professionals with expertise in dance
- incorporated not-for-profit dance companies, dance series, dance festivals and other dance organizations with a head office in Ontario
- other not-for-profit organizations or ad hoc groups and collectives such as non-arts organizations or organizations and ad hoc groups or collectives working in another arts discipline supported by OAC
- Only Indigenous artists, Deaf artists and artists with disabilities can apply as individuals to the Mentorship – Individuals category; dance companies that receive an operating grant of $30,000 or under from Dance Organizations: Operating, and that are led by Indigenous artists, artists of colour, Deaf artists or artists with disabilities, can apply to the Training and community development – Ad hoc groups, collectives and organizations category.
Who is not eligible
- organizations that receive an OAC operating grant through one of the following programs, except for dance companies that receive an operating grant of $30,000 or under and are led by Indigenous artists, artists of colour, Deaf artists or artists with disabilities: Dance Organizations: Operating; Ontario Arts Operating Fund (Dance Organizations category)
- organizations that receive another OAC operating grant, except organizations mandated to serve one or more OAC priority groups; choreographers who direct organizations that receive OAC operating funding
- a member of an ad hoc group or collective that applies for the same activity at the same deadline in this program
- dance studios, dance schools or other training organizations; dance students or students enrolled full-time at an educational institution
- for-profit organizations; colleges, universities and municipalities; school boards; elementary or secondary public or private schools; schools run by First Nations or Indigenous Education Authorities
Eligible expenses
- artists’ fees (choreographers, dancers, outside eye/elder/dramaturge, composers, musicians, theatrical designers and technicians); fees for mentors, teachers, gurus, Elders, knowledge-keepers and other cultural carriers; fees for professional dance artists participating in Mentorship, training and community development projects
- production costs (costumes, set and other staging requirements); venue or studio rental; virtual platform costs; archival recording
- publicity, marketing, promotion and audience development activities; administration costs
- travel, transportation and accommodation costs for key artists, collaborators and teachers if they are not residents of your city, town or First Nation
- childcare and other dependant care fees enabling individuals to take part in the project (this does not include regular, ongoing expenses); expenses related to making the project accessible to audience members and project participants (other than the applicant) who are Deaf or have a disability
Ineligible Costs and Activities
- events or activities that take place outside of Ontario
- projects eligible in the Touring Projects, Multi and Inter-Arts Projects or Media Artists Creation Projects programs; multi and inter-arts activities; travel, transportation and accommodation costs related to touring
- projects related to a graduate degree or thesis; competition-based dance except for urban and powwow dance; amateur, student or pre-professional productions
- fundraising activities
- major capital expenditures, including buying, leasing or renovating buildings and purchase of major equipment
Eligible geographic areas
- Ontario
Selection criteria
- Creation; Production and presentation; and Series and festivals: projects that engage professional Ontario-based choreographers.
- Series and festivals: projects where the applicant does not present their own dance works.
- Training and community development – Ad hoc groups, collectives and organizations: training and community development projects that support dance practices where training opportunities in Ontario are limited as compared to other practices.
How to apply
- Step 1: Prepare your application
- Read the program guide and eligibility rules.
- Create or update your Nova profile.
- Step 2: Complete the application in Nova
- Enter project information and answer the application questions.
- Upload the required artistic examples and support documents.
- Include the project budget.
- Step 3: Submit online
- Review the application carefully.
- Submit it in Nova before the deadline.
- Step 4: Check results and next steps
- Watch for the Nova notification email after the review period.
- Acknowledge the results in Nova if funded.
Processing and Agreement
- Grant decisions are made approximately four and a half months after the deadline, and OAC will inform you by email that the results of your application are available in Nova.
- Grant notification letters include the status of the grant, the recommended grant amount, and any conditions that must be met in order to release the grant payment(s), including a deadline for meeting conditions.
- If you are awarded a grant, you must complete the following tasks in Nova before the grant cheque can be issued: enter your social insurance number, confirm that you understand your personal responsibility for the grant, verify your mailing address, confirm that you will request approval from OAC before making any significant changes to the project, and acknowledge receipt of the notification letter.
- The payment of your grant will be held if you or your co-applicant have a final report that is past its due date and has not been submitted, has been submitted but requires revisions, has been submitted but cannot be approved because of substantial or unresolved issues, or has been submitted but has not yet been reviewed by OAC staff.
- If you receive a grant, you must complete the project as outlined in your application to OAC, publicly recognize OAC funding, and submit a final report when you complete your project; if your final report budget shows a surplus of more than $250, you may be required to repay the surplus amount to OAC.
Additional information
- Applications are submitted in Nova.
- The program information may change before Nova opens.
- Final reports are submitted in Nova.
Contacts
Frequently Asked Questions about the OAC — Dance Projects Program
What is the OAC — Dance Projects?
Dance Projects supports professional dance artists, Ontario-based groups and organizations in Ontario through five categories for live and virtual dance. It funds creation, production and presentation, series and festivals, mentorship, and training and community development, including choreography, new work development, public performances, workshops, and accessibility-related costs.
How much funding can be received?
OAC — Dance Projects Funds up to $20,000 of admissible expenses.
What is the deadline to apply?
The application deadline for this grant program is September 24, 2026.
Who is eligible for the OAC — Dance Projects program?
To be eligible for the OAC — Dance Projects program, you must:
professional dance artists who are Ontario residents
Ontario-based ad hoc groups and collectives of dance artists or arts professionals with expertise in dance
incorporated not-for-profit dance companies, dance series, dance festivals and other dance organizations with a head office in Ontario
What expenses are eligible under OAC — Dance Projects?
Creation to support artistic costs of choreography and development of new work
Production and presentation to support artistic, production and presentation costs of live or virtual dance for a public, including co-productions, commissions, remounting, and tour preparation (including rehearsal costs)
Series and festivals to support presentation costs of series and festivals that promote professional choreographers and dance companies
Mentorship – Individuals for Indigenous artists training in Indigenous dance practices, including powwow and customary dance, and for Deaf artists and artists with disabilities
Training and community development – Ad hoc groups, collectives and organizations, including but not limited to forums, workshops and master classes, equity and access initiatives, and other activities that benefit the professional dance community
Who can I contact for more information about the OAC — Dance Projects?
You can contact Ontario Arts Council (OAC) by email at mlegg@arts.on.ca or by phone at 416-969-7401.
Where is the OAC — Dance Projects available?
The OAC — Dance Projects program is available the province of Ontario.